


Christmas Gathering

by Nevcolleil



Series: Moses Family Values [5]
Category: Inception (2010), R.E.D., White Collar
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 06:59:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13565280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nevcolleil/pseuds/Nevcolleil
Summary: Family get-togethers are made that much more interesting once everyone knows Neal is a Moses. (Not that it wasn't plenty interesting for Peter already, spending the holidays with his wife and their lover, his C.I.)





	Christmas Gathering

June's lavish home, always lovely, looked like something out of a storybook after Elizabeth and her people got through with it, readying it for Christmas dinner.

Peter thought it was all a bit much... But June kept insisting that she _wanted_ her home turned into a winter wonderland - at God-only-knows what price - and Elizabeth looked so damned happy with herself... Like a kid in a candy store. Neal looked _radiant_. Taking in each and every addition to Elizabeth's original, already extravagant, plans with wonder, so Peter could do little more than bask in their joy and hope that a second mortgage would cover everything. 

Then it was time for their guests to arrive, and there was no more time for worrying.

Now that Joe had met June, it wasn't necessary to warn him not to flirt with Diana and Christie again, but Peter still had to keep Mozzie away from Marvin, and Marvin away from Mr. Saito. Peter introduced Moz to a man Neal's brother had introduced to him as Yusef, and directed Saito to the drawing room where Ivan and Jones were talking while Elizabeth pulled Marvin along with her, from the kitchen to the dining room and back again. As Neal led Dom and his young wife - _Ariadne_ , Neal said (oh, the people in this family) - around June's home, showing off the art and the architecture, Peter led Dom's children out to the patio where Victoria and Sara were chatting and let them meet Satchmo.

Peter walked back in just as " the old man" arrived - Neal's father, Frank, and Frank's wife, Sarah. (And Peter had thought that his _other_ father-in-law was intimidating. Ha! Frank is _former CIA_. And no telling what else that he's still not cleared to tell people.) 

They made small talk... If anything that's ever come out of Frank Moses's mouth could be considered small. (When Frank doesn't have anything important to say, he doesn't say anything. Leaving Peter, a normally cool and collected gentleman himself, to fluster and make a fool of himself with his babbling.)

And, finally, the guests of honor arrived: Neal's brother, Arthur, and Arthur's husband, Eames (Peter _still_ doesn't know the man's first name. Sometimes he wonders if _anyone_ does.) _and_ their brand new baby girl, Frances.

Their combined broods made quite the gathering around June's formal dining table - more like a banquet than a family get-together - and it took enough food to feed a small army to serve everyone.

But it was worth it. To see the way Neal's eyes lit up each time he glanced in the direction of his brother and his brother's family, or at his father and his father's friends. To get those rare glimpses of Neal as a brother, bantering with Arthur and Eames, or as a son, soaking up every word from his father, with obvious admiration, and letting his step-mother ask about the sundry details of his life.

Or as an uncle, he and Moz, and Ariadne and - to everyone's surprise - _Marvin and Diana_ , vying for little Frannie's attention and trying to make her giggle the loudest.

It was worth it to glimpse, also, Neal's pride as he introduced Peter and Elizabeth to those loved ones who they hadn't already met. Of course, Peter knows that Neal loves him; is as proud of this admittedly unorthodox but nonetheless precious thing that they and Elizabeth have built together, but it's always nice to see the proof of it.

It was with a renewed Christmas spirit that Peter caught Neal's and Elizabeth's eye and nodded that it was time. They were among astute company, and if Neal fussed over Eizabeth any further, someone was bound to guess their news before they could tell it. 

Elizabeth squeezed Neal's hand and Neal nodded, standing, and - looking adorably nervous (not that Peter didn't have sweaty hands, himself) - Neal lifted a wine glass and a spoon and signaled for everyone's attention in typical Neal fashion. 

"Uh, I'd just like to start off by thanking everyone for coming. It means a lot that some of you came a very far way to be with us at this important time. Important, not only because it's Christmas... But because we have some exciting news to share with you all."

June looked ready to fall out of her seat with enjoyment - she was the only one they had shared this news with already. Diana looked pleased but unsurprised (Peter should have known she'd figured it out), as did several of the faces around the table.

Frank looked like Frank. Neither thrilled nor displeased but perfectly ready to deal with Peter should he be given ample reason to do so. (Of course, that could jut be Peter's interpretation of things.)

That changed as Neal finally unleashed his grin and began to make his announcement.

Before he could, Eames piped up with: "What'd you do, Burke? Knock our boy up?"

Peter could have hit him (nevermind that he also often enjoyed putting that caught-off-guard expression on Neal's face.)

Elizabeth kept a cool head, however. She simply smiled at her brother-in-law's husband, cocked a brow in that sassy way Peter loves, and said, "Your boy knocked me up."

"Seriously?" Arthur's reaction, in particular, stood out for Peter. The cool-eyed, straight-backed young man usually strikes Peter as cold and mercenary (definitely a Moses son), but there are times when Peter has seen beneath that slick exterior and this was one of them. Few people can tell you this, but Arthur really is a sucker for babies and small children. He looked ten year younger as he smiled across June's dinner table at his twin.

"Frannie's going to have a cousin," Neal confirmed, as cheers and congratulations broke out around the room.

"I'll give you this, Pete," Frank said later, as the two hung to the side of June's massive Christmas tree, watching Sarah and Elizabeth help Frannie open her Christmas presents. They could hear the carrolling going on in the other room, Arthur's and Neal's bell-like voices distinctive amidst June's lovely tenor and Eames's baritone.

And this is why Peter is still intimidated by both his fathers-in-law, no matter how much more human Frank seems now that Peter's seen him playing with his grandchildren, doting on his wife; no matter that facing a gentlemanly shrink should be easy after telling a semi-retired spy that Peter's been sleeping with his son...

These men created the two most beautiful, talented, and simply exceptional people that Peter's ever met. What could Peter accomplish in his life greater than they?

"When you throw a party, you throw a party. A grandchild is a wonderful gift."

"I'm the one who's been given a gift, sir," Peter said, watching El laugh with their neice. Soon, a little Neal would be bouncing in his wife's lap. Peter was so taken with the thought, it took him a moment to realize that Frank was staring at him.

"Good answer, son," Frank said, slapping Peter on the back hard enough to make him stumble if he hadn't braced himself.

Peter grinned. This was the first time Frank had ever called him something other than 'Pete' or 'Burke' or, that one time, 'that sonofabitch thinks my son is some kind of kept boy'...

It was a merry Christmas, indeed.


End file.
